Lintufan did you already start translating?
I was bored so I already made sone questions
The best Tour we ever had!
Before they had a sold out show in the Maag Music Hall last sunday, we met the singer Lauri Ylönen and the drummer Aki Hakala of the Rasmus. With a happy mood they told about the excitment of their first show, that the Japanese look all the same and that the rapper 50 Cent a wimp is
hitparde.ch:There are many good rock and metal bands from finland. Do you have an explanation for that?
Aki: Yes, we have many great metal bands. But also good rock and pop acts. I have no idea what the reason is. Maybe, because here it's very cold and often dark. If we would come from Brazil we would play foolball (laughs). But we love to play the instruments and to do good music.
Lauri: Yes I agree. I don't know how the situation is in Switzerland. But in Finland are in every school drums, guitars and more other instruments, in any case when we went to school. Now, it's this generation which play in bands. The support in Finland is very big too. Everyone helps everybody, like the tour with HIM and Negative. It's one of our best tours we ever had and we all are happy
hitparade.ch: Paavo Löjtönen from Apocalyptica told me in a interview that you start with music very early. He said, at a show in the finnish tv..you were about 14 - 15 years old and you were so nervous about the show, that you ran in the whole studio and made the crew totally crazy.
Lauri: (Laughs) Oh yeah, I remember me very good. That was one of our first shows and Apocalyptica played there also. We didn't really performed on the show, we ran more in the studio.
hitparade.ch: When did you start with music and how did it come?
Lauri: Everybody of us played already an instrument. I played the drums and guitar before I began to sing. I met Eero with 10 years and at this time we had our first band and played songs from Status Quo. Later we met Aki. He already played in other bands.
Aki: Yes, I began 1999 with The Rasmus, that's 7 years ago. At this time I left my old bands to be with The Rasmus. At the moment we concentrate just for this one band, except Lauri, he made some stuff with Apocalyptica and Ville Valo from HIM. But of course The Rasmus is our number one
hitparade.ch: Today you play with two other finnish bands, HIM and Negative. Do you have some contanct private?
Lauri: Yes, it's great on this tour and we all have a lot uf fun. We also can speak very good about private things. It's great to meet Migé at the catering and to have some serious talks. It's not just about to have party all the time and be drunk. I also like to talk with Ville. The guys from Negative are also very nice, but a bit shy.
hitparade.ch: Now let's talk about your new album, Hide From The Sun. What does it mean to you?
Lauri: It's another step in the future. Our sixth step to be correctly. It's going very good with the album. We tour a long time and
can perform already in South Aftrca and Latin America. Yes, a new world is open for us. We will be still on tour until the end uf summer and play at some festivals. Later we go back to the studio. But at the moment is this album our "center".
hitparade.ch: Which are your favourite songs of this album?
Lauri: I Like the song "Immortal". We have a great live version for this one. I like the feelings which are in this song. It has much of power and sometimes it seems a bit calm, very dynamic. It's is very animate.
Aki: My favourite is "keep your Heart Broken" at the moment. It's a song with power. It has a special meaning for me because I miss my friends and my family very much. I like the song very much.
hitparade.ch: Lauri, your nickname is Lintu. You have feathers in your hair, like we can see in some videos and at some shows. What does it mean?
Lauri: It's very simple. For me it's a symbol for freedom.
hitparade.ch: I read, you would like to have some succesd in the USA. Is there something already happened?
Lauri: We search for the perfect record label to have our breakout. We have some options but it's not sure yet. There are some different ways...
Aki: We had some gigs in L.A and in NY and performed at some tv shows, but it wasn't much. We should go there for a longer time, maybe as a support act for HIM. I think that would be the best way.
hitparade.ch: After this concert in Zurch you are going to have a little break. After the 3 of march you are going for some shows to Japan. I heard, Japan is something special for you, why?
Lauri: I think the people there are very special. Anyhow they remember me to the finnish "fellow countrymen*. They also have the same mentality.It's not all individual, but if I see them in a mess, for me they look all the same.
Aki: Yes, like the system in school, because they have to wear uniforms. Of course, the culture interested me too, they have many traditions. But the favourte thing I like is the food, it's the best.
Lauri: To come back to the "all look the same". Of course they are all individual...but..how do I have to say..if they do something crap, they stand for it, even if they are very shy and reserved for them. It reminds me to the finnish mentality.
hitparade.ch: I show you now the top 10 of the swiss single charts. Xour comments are asked now..
1. Eros Ramazzotti & Anastacia - I Belong To You
Lauri: I don't know this song. But it's funny. Eros has bigger concerts than all finnish bands togehter, even if he sings in Italian. I think he is okay, even I don't understand the lyrics (Laughs)
6. Pinocchio - Klick klack
Aki: Yes, I know this boy. It's this one with the long nose, this liar !! (Smile)
7. Mary J Blige - Be Without You
Aki: I know this song. It's this one which they play so many times on MTV (laughs). I can't say more about that.
8. Madonna - Hung Up
Lauri: Yes, I like it. Isn't it this Abba Song ?!?
Aki: Yes, I like it too
9. Simple Plan - Untitled (How Could This Happen To Me?)
Aki: Aren't this the Canadians? They made some more punk stuff some time ago. Now they are doing more and more pop songs. I'm not a big fan of this band.
10. 50 Cent - Hustler's Ambition
Lauri: One time, we played at the same festival like him and he dind't want to perform there.
Aki: Yes, because the audiance threw a kind of chair on the stage.
Lauri: He seems to be a bit sensitive, it's something I can't understand because like he should have more than 13 Millions shots already..
Lauri and Aki, thank you for this nice interview!
Home 
but I know you can do that perfectly 
